Bypass Bike Snag On Foot

Opinion - LETTERS FROM READERS

June 15, 1997

Some weeks ago, The Osceola Sentinel published a story about how the bike path connector between East and West Lake Tohopekaliga would be postponed at least until the year 2000 because of the $1-million cost. But $750,000 of that was for a special bridge crossing Florida's Turnpike, and a good chunk of the rest was for right-of-way problems.

Did it ever occur to the ''powers that be'' that 99 percent of people out for a pleasant ride would be glad to walk their bikes across the automotive bridge if they could just wheel the rest of the way?

What about the school kids on Neptune Road that now avoid cycling or take their chances? Signs could be put up requiring bikes to be walked across if the county is afraid of legal problems.

Here we sit on a flat land that's accessible year-round to the very healthy, nonpolluting sport of bicycling, yet many of us are afraid to venture forth. Why? Because we've read of accidents and the daunting statistics showing Florida is the deadliest state in the country for bike riding.

It's a shame! Let's press for those bike paths; we might even save a bundle on road construction.